Web Application Combines Mapping and Analysis for Australia Floods

REDLANDS, Calif., Feb. 2, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Esri developed a newly launched web application that provides mapping and analysis to enhance Australia flood information supplied through the Ushahidi social network. The network allows people to report incidents via SMS, e-mail, or the web. The information is categorized and analyzed using geographic information systems (GIS) technology to provide hot spot visualization. By combining web GIS capabilities with Ushahidi data, anyone can view reports of flood incidents, damages, requests for help, and response requirements in a map context.

The application allows people to view the density or clusters of multiple events. These density color-coded hot spots illustrate geographic areas where similar requests, statements, and issues are clustered. This allows both government officials and the public to identify problems reported by a number of people in a common area.  They can better understand the distribution of reports by category and by time.

"Ushahidi information, combined with ArcGIS, provides a timely and relevant map-based picture," says Russ Johnson, director of public safety, Esri. "What's unique about this site is the analytics involved. It's more than just dots on a map. Esri developed this application to organize a lot of data and provide a better understanding of the data quickly."

The application demonstrates how GIS can analyze and transform volumes of data into actionable intelligence. Basemap layer options include street maps, satellite imagery, and topographic maps. TData can be visualized over time to understand both spatial and temporal trends together. A temporal tool is available to present data for a particular day or range of days. It allows you to select multiple days on the map chronologically with the "time-slide tool." As dates move sequentially, the updated data is automatically displayed for the indicated time period.  

Since December 2010, the Esri disaster response team, as well as ESRI Australia Pty. Ltd., has been working to support response to this incident.

About Esri

Founded in 1969, Esri (esri.com) is the world leader in the GIS software industry. Esri offers innovative solutions that help users create, manage, analyze, and display information to make timely decisions and solve problems they encounter every day. Esri's comprehensive product line ranges from desktop GIS to GIS for the enterprise.

SOURCE Esri